Car body drying apparatus

ABSTRACT

A car body drying apparatus having a nozzle assembly suspended by at least one rope and constantly pulled upwardly through the rope under the influence of a weight, a fluid pressure operated piston-cylinder being provided for lowering the nozzle assembly against the influence of the weight.

United States Patent n91 3,765,104 Takeuchi Oct. 16, 1973 [54] CAR BODYDRYING APPARATUS 3,442,027 5/1969 Hurwitz 34/229 Inventor: g o Takeuchi,agoya Japan 3,6l3,255 10/1971 Capri 34/229 [73] Assignee: Takeuchi TekkoKabushiki Kaisha, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Nagoya, Japan1,962,818 6/1971 Gennany l5/DlG. 2

[22] Filed: 1972 Primary Examinerl(enneth W. Sprague [211 App} 247,288Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung Attorney-Karl W. Flocks 521 US. Cl.34/229, 34/223 51 Int. Cl. F26b 19/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search34/223, 225, 229; A car y drymg apparatus havmg a nozzle assembly 151316 2 mg 7 405; 239/1 suspended by at least one rope and constantlypulled upwardly through the rope under the influence of a 5 R f en Citedweight, a fluid pressure operated piston-cylinder being UNITED STATESPATENTS provided for lowering the nozzle assembly against the fl f thht. 3,279,093 l0/l966 'Dutton 34/229 m uence o e welg 3,459,203 8/1969Pritchard 239/186 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMENTEBUBT 1 61m 3,765,104

SHEET 10F 2 FIG. 2

1 CAR BODY DRYING APPARATUS The present invention relates to a car bodydrying apparatus and more particularly to such an apparatus that isequipped with anovel safety feature.

1 In a conventional car washing apparatus, it is customary to use a carbodydrying apparatus in order to forcibly dry a car body after it iswashed. According to a known arrangement, the car body drying apparatuscomprises an upperand side nozzles corresponding respectively to theupper and side surfaces of the car body, whereby dried air is dischargedthrough the nozzles against the car" body. The upper nozzle isvertically movably mounted so that it can follow the upper contour ofthe car body. However, in this known arrangement, if the elevatingdevice itself or the driving system thereof becomes out of order, theupper nozzle may possibly be allowed to fall on the car body damagingthe upper surface thereof.

The present invention has a primary object to eliminate theaforementioned disadvantages of the conventional apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a car washingapparatus which is provided with safety feature for preventinginadvertent fall of the upper air nozzle.

According to the present invention, there is provided a car body dryingapparatus comprising a frame, a nozzle assembly vertically movablymounted on the frame and adapted to spray drying air, means forconstantly biasing the nozzle assembly in the upward direction, andmeans for lowering the nozzle assembly against the action of the biasingmeans.

According to a preferred feature of the present invention, the frame isarranged on guide rail means so that it is movable therealong. Thenozzle assembly is preferably suspended by a pair of ropes, each ofwhich is secured at one end to the nozzle assembly and passed upwardly,then around guide pulley means and finally downwardly. A weight issecured to the other end of each rope so as to constitute the biasingmeans. The means for lowering the nozzle assembly is preferablyconstituted by a fluid pressure operated piston cylinder assembly.

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following descriptions of a preferredembodiment taking. reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

.FIG. 1 is a front view of a car drying apparatus embodying the featuresof the present invention, the apparatus being partially cut away inorder to show the interior thereof;

FIG. 2 is a'fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theline A A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatical view showing a nozzle elevating means and avalve mechanism associated therewith; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional viewshowing the valve in the openposition.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, the dryingapparatus includes a frame 1 of an inverted channel shape having a pairof vertical legs. The frame 1 is movably supported on a pair of guiderails 2 and provided with a blower 3 at the lower end of each verticalleg. Each of the blowers 3 has an output port which is connected to oneend of an air conduit 4. The air conduits 4 are in turn connected attheir opposite ends 7 1 through sliding members 7 secured to the outerends of the supporting rods 6 and slidable along guide members 8provided on the frame 1. A rope 9 is secured at its one end tb" theupper end of each sliding member 7, the rope 9 being extended upwardlytherefrom, then passed around a pair of guide pulleys l0 and 11 andextended downwardly. At the opposite end of the rope 9, there is secureda weight 12. The weights l2 serve to constantly bias the nozzle assembly5 upwardly.

' As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an air cylinder 13 is disposed along one ofthe legs of the frame 1 with the bottom end of the cylinder 13 securedthereto. The cylinder 13 has a piston rod 14 having an upper end securedto one of the supporting rods 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the uppercompartment of the air cylinder 13 is connected to an air pressureaccummulator 19 through a conduit 18 which includes a switching valve 16and a shut-off valve 17. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the valve'l6 ismounted on the nozzle assembly 5 at the center portion of its frontsurface and serves to allow the air to flow into the nozzle assemblyfrom the upper compartment of the air cylinder 13.

An actuating arm 20 is pivotally supported at a point 21 and extendsbelow the switching valve 16. The arm 20 has a roller 22 carried at thefree end thereof for cooperation with a cam 23 rotatably mounted on thenozzle assembly 5. The cam 23 has a feeler 24 secured at its one end tothe cam 23 with the other end normally extending rearwardly. Anappropriate stopper (not shown) may be provided to prevent the feelerfrom drooping downwardly due to its weight. The valve 16 has a valve'rod 25 which projects downwardly from the valve and co-operates with thecentral portion of the actuating arm 20. Thus, when the cam 23 isrotated to make the actuating arm 20 swing upwardly, the valve rod 25 ismoved upward and the port of the valve 16 leading to the uppercompartment of the air cylinder 13 is opened to atmosphere. In thenormal position shown in FIG. 3, the accumulator 19 is connected throughthe valve 16 to the upper compartment of the air cylinder 13.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 26 shows wheels supported on the railsand 28 a pair of motors, each associated with each oneof the blowers 3.The reference numeral 27 in FIGS. 1 and 2 designates a pair of rollersmade of resilient material and rotatably supported at the center portionof the lower edge of the nozzle assembly 5. The rollers 27 serve tocontact with the upper surface of a car body B to be washed and maintaina predetermined clearance therebetween.

In operation, when the air cylinder 13 is not supplied with airpressure, the nozzle assembly 5 is lifted to the upper position as shownby the solid lines in FIG. 1 by means of the weights 12 which actsthereon through the ropes 9.

When the shut-off valve 17 is opened to supply pressurized air from thepressure accumulator 19 to the upper compartment of the air cylinder 13,the piston rod 14 is moved downwardly to cause the nozzle assembly 5 tomove downwardly against the influence of the weights 12 to the positionshown by dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 3. The lowered position ispreviously determined so that a proper clearance is maintained betweenthe nozzle assembly 5 and the front and rear bonnet portions of the carbody for performing a proper drying operation. In this position theblowers 3 are operated and the frame 1 is moved along the rails 2passing over the car disposed between the rails 2. When the nozzleassembly 5 passes over the front bonnet portion of the car body B andcomes close to the windshield glass, the feeler 24 engages the glasssurface and pushed upwardly as shown in FIG. 2 causing the cam 23 torotate counterclockwise as seen in H0. 4. Thus, the actuating arm 20 isswung upwardly to push the valve rod 25 upwardly, whereby the valve 16is allowed to open the upper compartment of the air cylinder 13 to theatmosphere. Thus, as far as the feeler 24 is in contact with the carbody, the air in the upper compartment of the air cylinder 13 iscontinuously exhausted allowing the nozzle assembly 5 to move upwardlyunder the influence of the weights 12. The nozzle assembly 5 is thusmoved upwardly along the front windshield surface injecting dried airthereto. When the nozzle assembly 5 is moved along the roof portion oralong the rear window glass, the valve 16 is in the position shown inFIG. 3 since the feeler 24 is free from the car body. Therefore,pressurized air is allowed to flow through the valve 16 into the uppercompartment of the air cylinder 13. Thus, the nozzle assembly 5 is urgeddownwardly but maintained apart from the car body due to the provisionof the rollers 27.

From the above description, it will be clear that the nozzle assembly 5can follow the contour of the car body to effectively dry the surfacethereof. It should further be noted that, even when the air cylinder 13or its pneumatic system becomes out of order, the nozzle assembly 5 isnot allowed to fall onto the car body but is moved upwardly under theinfluence of the weights Although the invention has been illustrated anddescribed with reference to a specific embodiment which is believed tobe a preferred one, it is in no way limited to the details of theillustrated arrangement but should be construed as being broad enough tocover all changes and modifications which fall within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

l. A car body drying apparatus comprising a frame,

a nozzle assembly vertically movably mounted on the frame and adapted tospray drying air, means for constantly biasing said nozzle assembly inthe upward direction, means for lowering said nozzle assembly againstthe action of said biasing means, feeler means connected to said nozzleassembly valve means controlled by said feeler means to control saidlowering means and adapted to cause said biasing means to overcome saidlowering means when said feeler means is moved beyond a predeterminedlimit by its contact with the car body. 2. The car body drying apparatusof claim 1, further characterized by rail means movably supporting saidframe. 3. The car body drying apparatus of claim 1, furthercharacterized by said biasing means'including at least one rope securedat one end to said nozzle assembly and having a weight attached to itsother end, and guide pulley means supporting said at least one rope. 4.The car body drying apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by saidlowering means including a fluid pressure operated piston-cylinderassembly. 5. The car body drying apparatus of claim 4, furthercharacterized by said valve means connected to said fluid pressureoperated piston-cylinder assembly to release fluid pressure on one endof said piston-cylinder assembly to remove resistance against saidbiasing means when said feeler means is moved beyond the predeterminedlimit by its contact with the car body. 6. The care body dryingapparatus of claim 1, further characterized by a cam means connected tosaid feeler means for rotation thereby and positioned to operate saidvalve means. 7. The car body drying apparatus of claim 1, furthercharacterized by said nozzle assembly including at least one rolleradapted to contact the car body for maintaining a predeterminedclearance therebetween.

1. A car body drying apparatus comprising a frame, a nozzle assemblyvertically movably mounted on the frame and adapted to spray drying air,means for constantly biasing said nozzle assembly in the upwarddirection, means for lowering said nozzle assembly against the action ofsaid biasing means, feeler means connected to said nozzle assembly valvemeans controlled by said feeler means to control said lowering means andadapted to cause said biasing means to overcome said lowering means whensaid feeler means is moved beyond a predetermined limit by its contactwith the car body.
 2. The car body drying apparatus of claim 1, furthercharacterized by rail means movably supporting said frame.
 3. The carbody drying apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by said biasingmeans including at least one rope secured at one end to said nozzleassembly and having a weight attached to its other end, and guide pulleymeans supporting said at least one rope.
 4. The car body dryingapparatus of claim 1, further characterized by said lowering meansincluding a fluid pressure operated piston-cylinder assembly.
 5. The carbody drying apparatus of claim 4, further characterized by said valvemeans connected to said fluid pressure operated piston-cylinder assemblyto release fluid pressure on one end of said piston-cylinder assembly toremove resistance against said biasing means when said feeler means ismoved beyond the predetermined limit by its contact with the car body.6. The care body drying apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by acam means connected to said feeler means for rotation thereby andpositioned to operate said valve means.
 7. The car body drying apparatusof claim 1, further characterized by said nozzle assembly including atleast one roller adapted to contact the car body for maintaining apredetermined clearance therebetween.